


Happy Birthday

by ZoneRobotnik



Series: Reverse Falls [3]
Category: Gravity Falls, Reverse Falls - Alternate Universe
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Takes place four years before the main story, angst angst aaaaangst this is an angsty boi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-30
Updated: 2018-05-30
Packaged: 2019-05-16 05:37:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14805371
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZoneRobotnik/pseuds/ZoneRobotnik
Summary: It's Mabel and Mason's 12th birthday, but Mason is kept in the dark away from the crowd because of his birthmark.





	Happy Birthday

**Author's Note:**

> Gravity Falls (c) Alex Hirsch and Disney

Guests came out of limos and fancy cars, carrying wrapped presents. They were all unaware of silent eyes watching them from a darkened room, the curtains barely pulled aside just enough to peek out at them, and it was better that way. If someone noticed...  
  
The doorknob rattled as the key turned in the lock and the young boy quickly let go of the curtain to plunge himself in the dim lighting of the room once more. The door opened and a tall man stepped in, looking at the boy silently.  
  
“Were you looking out the window?”  
  
The boy slowly shook his head.  
  
“Then why is it unfastened?” The man walked over to secure the curtain shut and then turned to the boy. “Don't cause any trouble on your sister's birthday.”  
  
“I-It's my bir--”  
  
“What was that?” The man snapped.  
  
“N-Nothing!” The boy retreated further into the darkness, his blue eyes wide and shaking with the rest of his body.  
  
“It better not have been. Not a word from you, understand? You sit quiet, you read your books, you don't make a sound. After the guests have left, we'll bring you out to open your gifts, but until then you'll stay put.” He walked out and shut the door, locking it again.  
  
The boy sighed and walked over to sit on his bed, staring at the curtained window. He heard a sound and looked towards it to see a secret door slowly opening before a girl with a face identical to his grinned at him.  
  
No...not _identical_. She was blessed with a forehead clear of any blemish. But he never held it against her. It wasn't _her_ fault that he was born a freak.  
  
“Hey, Mason.” She greeted, closing the door behind her and walking over to sit on the bed with him.  
  
“You shouldn't be here. The guests--”  
  
“Oh, hush. The party doesn't start until I walk in, so they can wait while I spend a bit of time with my favorite brother.” She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly.  
  
“Mabel, I'm your _only_ brother.” Mason chuckled a bit.  
  
“I know, but you're still my favorite.” Mabel smiled at him. “Okay, favorite _person_. How's that?”  
  
“That's better.” He nodded.  
  
She giggled and nuzzled him affectionately. “I got you a present.” She reached in the pocket of her pretty party dress and handed him a little box. “Here, open it.”  
  
“Don't you want to wait?” Mason asked.  
  
“I don't want father to know about it.” She frowned bitterly. He really hated when she lost her smile, and he kissed her cheek to try to cheer her up before pulling the ribbon free and opening the box. Inside was a necklace that had a star of many colors with an eye in the center hanging from the end. “I've seen you draw this thing before, so I had it custom-made.” She explained with a smile. “Do you like it?”  
  
He nodded, smiling. “Thank you.” He put it in his pocket. “I'll only wear it when father's not in the room with me.”  
  
“He's not here now. Put it on?” Mabel pleaded.  
  
He pulled it out again and unfastened the clasp before moving it put it around his neck. Mabel moved behind him to help and then moved in front of him to look at it. “It looks great.” She smiled.  
  
He nodded, then looked towards the door. “You should probably go, before he comes looking for you.”  
  
She nodded. “I'll see you later, broseph.” She kissed his cheek and left the way she'd come in, leaving him alone in the dark again.  
  
He walked over to the window and tried to peer through the curtain, but he couldn't see through it well enough. And he didn't dare move the curtain again. He instead retreated to his desk that was out of view of the window and turned on his desk lamp so he could quietly read as he had been ordered to do. He gently rubbed at the necklace as he opened the book to the bookmarked spot and quietly started to read, trying not to think of the party going on downstairs.  
  
Twelve years, he had been doing this. Twelve years of being in the shadows. Hardly anyone even remembered he existed anymore, and those that did were threatened into silence. He had been tutored by a butler for all of his life, while Mabel met with several teachers a day and went out to parties and out into the sun.  
  
He wasn't angry with her, never. He loved her, and he knew that she wanted to bring him out of the shadows. It was his mother and father that he despised, and his grandfather the most of all for urging them to lock him away where no one would see him.  
  
He moved a hand to his arm where he had been bruised by his father roughly dragging him to his room earlier and sighed, trying to focus on his book again.  
  
“Happy birthday to you.” He muttered. “You waste of a bedroom. Why were you even born? No one wants you. You almost died anyway, they should've just let it happen. Why even bother saving me? Dying at birth would've been easier than this.”  
  
He heard the doorknob rattle and froze, urgently putting the necklace under his shirt and buttoning it up to the top button.  
  
“Why is his room locked?”  
  
He glanced over, confused. That wasn't his father.  
  
“I'll go snag the key, I bet a maid has it.”  
  
Mason shivered a bit. Who was there? An intruder? He got up and turned off the light before retreated into his wardrobe, his heart pounding in his ears.  
  
Would anyone care if he was kidnapped? Mabel would care. That's...the only one he could think of, really. He curled in on himself, listening to the key turn in the lock.  
  
“Alright, Stanley, go on and put the key back.”  
  
“Do I have to?”  
  
“Yes, you do. She's going to need them.”  
  
“Eh, any excuse to tap that sweet ass again.”  
  
“Stanley.”  
  
“I'm going, I'm going.”  
  
“Be back quickly.”  
  
Mason heard the sound of footsteps walking on his carpet flooring and covered his mouth to block any sounds he might make. This was it. He would be kidnapped, no one would know he existed and the ones that did know wouldn't put out an alert. Why bother with trying to retrieve what was unwanted? Mabel would cry, but his father wouldn't care. Better him than her, at least. Better the unwanted anomaly child than the most perfect, sweetest, most beautiful girl to ever grace this world.  
  
He heard the footsteps approach his hiding place and held his breath, hoping they would just pass by. Why didn't he just escape out the secret door? Stupid, stupid Mason!  
  
“You're in the wardrobe, aren't you?”  
  
Mason paled. Why was he talking to him? Why not just check?  
  
“It's alright. I won't force you to come out. I know how it feels.”  
  
“Hey, I'm back.” Stanley said as he came back into the room.  
  
“He's hiding. I think he's afraid of us.” The other man said softly.  
  
“Hm...I'm going to close the door and turn on the lights. Mason can come out when he's ready. Damn, it's dark in here. Are they raising a vampire?”  
  
“Stanley...”  
  
“I know, I know. Bad joke.”  
  
“Take your time, Mason. We'll be out here when you're ready.”  
  
Mason frowned. They knew his name? He winced a bit as light from the overhead shone in the crack between the wardrobe doors, directly in his eyes.  
  
“I'm guessing you don't recognize my voice.” Stanley said. Walking closer to the wardrobe as he spoke. “It's me, your Great Uncle Stanley. We've met before, remember?”  
  
Great Uncle? He...sort of remembered that. Yes, his grandfather's younger brother. Why was he here and not at the party?  
  
“Come on out, Mason. It's okay.”  
  
Mason reached out to the doors nervously. “W-Why are you...here?”  
  
“I'm here to see you. Come on out.” Stanley urged him.  
  
“Don't rush him, Stanley.” The other man scolded gently.  
  
“We only have until his dad notices we're not at the party.” Stanley told him. “Come on, Mason.”  
  
Mason hesitated, then slowly pushed open the doors, slowly climbing out as they opened wider. Stanley smiled and extended a hand to him invitingly, which Mason gingerly took. “Why are you...here?”  
  
“I told you, I'm here to see you.” Stanley nodded to the other man. “This is Stanford, my twin brother. I've never brought him over until now.”  
  
“How come?” Mason asked.  
  
Stanford reached up to the end of the mittens he wore and removed one of them. “Because I'm just like you.” He held up a hand that had six fingers. “I've had to hide myself for years, too. My father finally sent me away so I would stop 'corrupting' Stanley, and that was the day I become free. I never returned until my parents were dead and my older brother had moved out.”  
  
Okay, this was leading up to something. “I'm...happy you managed to get out. But, you were probably an adult then.” Mason said cautiously.  
  
“I was. I was sent to college to 'make use of myself'.” Stanford nodded. “But, getting to the point, we want to bring you and your sister to Gravity Falls to stay with us.”  
  
“When?” Mason asked.  
  
“We were thinking next summer.” Stanley smiled. “You can spend the time deciding if you like the place and, who knows, maybe we can get your parents to agree with us having you to stay.”  
  
“What about Mabel?” Mason asked.  
  
“I doubt your father will be as willing to let her stay with us for good.” Stanford said, shaking his head.  
  
“Then, I'm not staying. Not without my sister.” Mason crossed his arms over his chest and raised his chin defiantly.  
  
“I can respect that.” Stanley nodded. “Let's just start with a visit for the next summer and see how things go, hm?”  
  
Mason nodded, uncrossing his arms. “Alright. We can do that.”  
  
“Great! We'll bring it up at the second party, then.” Stanley knelt down to look Mason in the eyes. “Don't you worry. We'll get you out of this place for the whole of next summer. Count on it, and don't lose hope. You're not alone.”  
  
Mason smiled sadly. “I'm never alone, Great Uncle Stanley. I have Mabel.”  
  
Stanley hugged him and then got up so Stanford could kneel and do the same. “We have to get back to the party. See you in a few hours, kid.” Stanley smiled and rubbed his head affectionately. “Happy birthday.”  
  
Mason smiled and nodded, watching as they left the room. He waited until they had walked away to walked over and turn off the lights, plunging himself in darkness once more.  
  
For once, he might actually have a “happy birthday”.  
  
End

 

**Author's Note:**

> What awaits him the next summer? What awaits him in Gravity Falls?  
> (Six down, four to go.)


End file.
